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воскресенье, 5 октября 2014 г.

As a communications
professional with 20 years of experience in global sustainability strategy and
engagement, I found the recent climate convening in New York City both
inspirational and encouraging. For the first time, we saw cohesion and
camaraderie among the numerous parties advocating for change in the fight
against climate change. As such, it seems change is finally within reach.

OPTIMISM IS ON THE RISE

Since COP15 in Copenhagen
(2009), it has been tough to be optimistic about tackling climate change.
However, the tides began to turn in NYC last week, with a very real sense of
optimism and unity emerging around the potential of a vibrant, clean, global
economy.

Estimates vary on the number of
people who participated in the Climate March on Sunday. Officials say 310,000,
but I heard the crowd might've been as many as 500,000. As a participant, it
felt like a virtual sea of humanity rolling through the streets of Manhattan.
All ages, races and socioeconomic strata participated, and unlike some marches,
it was abundantly peaceful. Yet, the most amazing moment for me occurred at 1
p.m., when the thousands of marchers stopped and stood for a lasting moment of
silence to honor those affected by climate change. The silence was followed by
a thunderous roar -- a cue that in solidarity, change can happen.

PARTNERSHIP IS THE NEW
LEADERSHIP

For far too long, we've been
trying to tackle climate change in silos. NGOs, businesses and governments each
have advocated for a different kind of change. And while progress has been made
on all fronts, the necessary focus and scale have never emerged.

This past week, however, we saw
the power of partnership at play in myriad ways. The launch of We Mean
Business* is a great example. Seven business-focused NGOs representing some 500
businesses united as one voice for ambitious climate action and policy. RE100
is another example, as 11 companies lead the charge to commit to advancing the
use of 100 percent renewable energy in their businesses by 2020 -- and they are
asking 100 of the world's largest companies to do the same. Moreover, The World
Bank is heading a massive global coalition across government and business that
calls for a price on carbon. To date, some 73 countries and 22 states,
provinces and cities have joined over 1,000 businesses and investors in
signaling their support for carbon pricing.

BUSINESS HAS NEW AND COMPELLING
VOICES IN THE DIALOGUE

UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon first convened businesses to answer the call for climate solutions in
2009. Since then, numerous events and calls to action have received varied
attention. However, this year, business engagement felt different. Around 100
CEOs attended the UN Climate Summit, and just about every business event was
over-capacity. Perhaps the most exciting new voice at the Summit was Apple's
Tim Cook. Mostly known for discussing Apple's products, he showed up
differently when, in an interview with Christiana Figueres during the launch of
We Mean Business, he said, "The time for inaction has passed" and
"there can be no trade-off between economy and environment." Tipping
his hat to the role innovation plays in advancing a clean economy, he
maintained that if companies innovate and set the bar high, they can continue
to grow economically while also protecting the planet. He was among many in the
business community offering a clear, strong voice to the role of renewable
energy.

OUR CITIES ARE LIKELY WHERE THE
CHANGE WILL HAPPEN FASTEST

Nation states are most
frequently featured in dialogue about climate solutions, but I'm increasingly
convinced the real momentum will come from cities. The world's architects are
leading the way with impressive commitments to reduce energy consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) of urban areas by changing how buildings and
cities are planned, designed and constructed. For instance, at the
International Union of Architects (UIA) World Congress in August 2014, member
organizations representing over 1.3 million architects in 124 countries
unanimously adopted the 2050 Imperative -- a declaration to eliminate CO2
emissions in the built environment by 2050. This is a significant commitment,
considering urban areas generate 70 percent of all GHGe, mostly from buildings.
Looking ahead to 2035 (and accounting for population growth and expected human
migration), 75 percent of the built environment will be either new or renovated
-- I heard at Climate Week that this equates to creating a city the size of
Manhattan every 35 days. Proper building orientation, energy efficiency, the
increased use of renewable energy and other priorities will drive
transformative change in our cities -- and, therefore, our lives.

COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT
ARE CRITICAL AS WE CONTINUE TO PAVE THE PATH FORWARD

At the start of the UN Climate
Summit, an inspirational film, WHAT'S POSSIBLE, was shown to world leaders. The
film, by social and political activist Lyn Lear, demonstrates that climate
change is solvable -- but engagement and action are essential. Fortunately, the
communications landscape is evolving. Two years ago, the NYC climate summit
sparked 1 million social shares, last year it was 2 million and this year it
was 83 million! Continuous dialogue, commitments and follow-through will be
crucial to motivate citizens and stakeholders as we build alignment by
mid-century around paths for zero emissions. This week certainly provided a
vital spark of optimism that we must maintain to achieve the success needed at
climate summits in Lima, then in Paris and beyond. The impacts, challenges and
opportunities of climate change are evolving in the hearts and minds of
citizens around the world, opening doors of opportunity for continued
communication and engagement.

Facts from History

CEDAW

UNSCR 1325

Strategy for engagement and joint actions on confidence building and P2P diplomacy that involve women. Final Report

YOUTH PEACE PLAN OF GEORGIA

This publication is produced within the framework of the project - ‘‘Support Democratic Participation of Young Women in Building Peace and Stability in Georgia’’ implemented in Georgia by International Network for Civil Development - INCD in partnership with Young Women Experts’ Network for Peace and Security (YWEPS) and with the financial support of the Embassy of Canada through Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).